Liquid-vending machine



Feb.1z, 1929.

F. l. DU PONT LIQUID VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 27, 1924 4mm/vens.

Feb. 12, 1929. 1,701,609

. F. l. Du PONT LIQUID VENDING MACHINE Original Filed May 27, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r w 1' O O 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 22 1 23 E O 2l 1 y o o 1 F/G. 4.

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. v F. l. DU PONT LIQUID VENDING MACHINE original Filed May 2'7, 1924 :5 1e

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Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

uNiTED STATES runners I. nu roNr, or wnmmeiron, DELAWARE.

mauro-veniamo MACHINE.

` @riginal application filed May ft?, i924, tiel-iai No. 716,108. livided and this application Ied February it, 1925. Serial No. 6,178.

This invention relates to an improvement inliquid vending machines of the com controlled type and is a division of my application, Serial No. 716,108, filed May 27, 1924.

u The object of my invention is to provide a coin-controlled machine adaptedto be operated to deliver a volmeof 'liquid of the value of the coin whichv is adapted to be` inserted in the machine. The invention is especially applicable to the vending of gasoline and l have described, as a preferred embodiment of my invention, a machine adapted to permit the delivery of adelinite quantity of gasoline after a twenty-five cent piece has been inserted in the machine, said machine comprising manually operable mechanism which insures the delivery of such definite quantity of gasoline if a proper coin is inserted at the proper time. Said 2o manually operable mechanism comprises means to pump the specified quantity, and no more, of gasoline into a receptacle prior to the operation of the coin-controlled mechanism, and manually operable means to eect the delivery of the gasoline after the operation of the coin-controlled mechanism.

The invention is not limited, in its application, to the delivery of gasoline, but is us able, or readily adaptable, to effect the delivery of any other liquid that is ordinarily purchased by liquid measure.

ln the drawings: Fig. l is a. vertical sectional elevation of the machine.

lBig. 2 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. l, 'the upper part oi the machine, however, not being1 in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the supplemental casina and the aucoin-actuated and controlled mechanism at-V tached to and contained therein, the coin holding and conveying slide being in retracted position to receive a coin.

Fig. 4,-. is a view through the supplemental casing talren at right angles to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view on the line 5-5 ci llig. 3..

Fig'. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5..

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation through part ci the coin-controlled mechanism shown in Fig. 3, but with the coin holdin and conveying slide projected into position to trip the mechanism controlled by the coin.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of a contrivance for preventing the permanent accumulation of liquid in the delivery receptacle.

The casing a has near its lower end a partition I), forming above it a chamber for the pump, pipes, and some of the actuating mechanism. The main chamber is closed at the top by a head c, which together with an inverted glass vessel mounted thereon, form a receptacle d for the gasoline, oil or other liquid to be delivered.

The receptacle d is in communication with the enlarged upper end of a supply pipe e, which extends down through the main chamber and partition b into a gasoline reservoir (not shown) which is below ground level. A check valve 7 is located at the enlarged upper end of the pipe e and allows air or gasoline to ilow upwardly through the pipe into receptacle d but prevents back flow ot' air or gasoline through the pipe.

Another ipe g extends vertically inthe main cham er and has mounted thereon a pipe z., which extends through head c into receptacle d. The pipe h is adjustable vertically on pipe g for a purpose to be here1 inafterv explained.

The lower end of pipe g connects with a manifold z', on which are mounted three vertical pipes 7c communicating' respectively with three ports 0 opening respectively into three pump cylinders m. Within pipes ic are check valves j, which allow the passageot Huid (air or gasoline) from pipe g into the pump cylinders but prevent the return of fluid into pipe g. -Qxtending laterally from ports o are ports p, which have check valves g therein allowing uid to iiow out into the main chamber of the casing from ports o but preventing return. `:dow oit iiuid. rlhe pump v.

pistons n have connecting reds r attached 'to a common crank shaft s turnable by a hand operated cranlr lever i'. @While three pump cylinders and pistons are shown, the machine is operable with one or more Assuming that the reI eptacle al is empty and that the umps are operated: 0n the upstroke of the pump pistons, air is exhausted from the receptacle i through pipes .71. and g, manifold e', pipes ,7c and ports o into the pump cylinders. On the down stroke of the piston, air is expelled from the pump cylinders through ports o and p into the main chamber. At this stage, the pump acts as an air pump. Due to the ex- Gti haustion of air from receptacle d, check valve f soon opens, air is exhausted from pipe e, and gasoline is drawn up through pipe e into receptacle d. The gasoline accumulates in receptacle d until it reachesy the level of the top of pipe h, after which the excess gasoline is drawn down through pipes L and g, manifold z', pipes and ports 0 into the pump cylinders and then discharged through ports vo yinto the main chamber of the casing. At this time the pump is acting as a gasoline pump. The gasoline discharged into the main chamber flows through pipe u back into the oil rservoir.

Receptacle d is in communication with the upper end of a tubular chamber fu, from which extends a downwardly inclined discharge pipe lw, through which the gasoline in the receptacle d may be delivered to the customer. Normally, however, a springpressed valve ce prevents such disc arge. rlhe delivery of gasoline can be e'ected only by forcibly pulling down the stem of valve rllhis may be effected by turning a shaft Q/ by means of a hand operable crank e. Shaft y has a crank 10 attached to a rod 11 which slides vertically in a guide 12` on the casing and carries at its upper end a nose 13 siidable in the stem o valve and adapted, in its downward movement,l to engage a projection 14 on the valve stem and, by drawing tue stem down, unseat valve thereby opening the passage for outliow of gasoline `from receptacle ai through discharge pipe w.

The exlstence of a partial vacuum above the body of gasoline in receptacle d would, however, prevent the free discharge of gasoline from receptacle d if some means were not provided to relieve the vacuum. Branching from pipe g is a pipe 15 having a downwardlyo ening end normally closed by a valve 16. is valve has secured to it an arm 17, which is connected, by a link 18, with an arm 19 on shaft y. In the turning of shaft y to effect the described opening of valve m, arm 19, through link 18 and arm 17, opens valve 16. Owing to the large outlet area afforded by the opening of valve 16 and the comparatively small volume of gasoline in the column above valve 16, this column rapidly drains out, thus relieving the vacuum in the receptacle and permitting a free outiiow of gasoline therefrom through chamber v and pipe lw.

Shaft y is normally locked from movementby means of mechanism located in a supplemental casing 23 and comprising a latch 20 which engages a recess in a frame 21 secured to shaft y. Latch 2 0 isvertically slidable in a guide 22 and may be raised to entirely release frame 21'and ermit the shaft to be turned. Latch 20 is raised by the 'coin-actuatedfmechanism that will now be described.

Projecting out from the casing 23 is a ledge 3() hav-inv side guides 31. slide 32 rests on the ledge between said ides and the size (preferably) of a twenty-five cent v piece or smaller. The thickness of the slide should not substantially exceed the thickness of a freshl minted coin of the denomination speci ed. The coin should be placed in the hole 35 and the slide pushed in (by means of the outer upturned flange 34), thereby carrying the coin into the casing 23.

As the slide 32 ispushed in, it carries the coin along and over the edge of a table 36 onto a coin receiver 40. The table 36 is provided with a hole 37. Beneath the hole 37 is a chute 38 communicating vwith a slot 39 in the casing 23. Any coin smaller than a twenty-five cent piece will drop through the hole 37 onto chute 38 and slot 39.

If the hole 35 were perfectly circular, it

might be possible for a smaller coin, say a nickel tive cent piece, to override the hole 37 (which is not necessarily of greater width than the diameter of such smaller coin). By slightly enlarging the hole 35 at the rear and toward one side of the slide and givingto that art of the hole an arcuate form adapte to the reception of a five-cent piece or a smaller coin, such smaller coin will slipback into that part of the hole, in the forward one edge thereo will override the hole 37 and necessarily tilt sidewise and drop through the hole in the transit of hole 35 thereover.

projection of the slide, and

The inward movement of slide 32 is arrested by the enga ement of the flange 33 with a fixed stop 1. In this position of the slide, hole 35 overlies the receiver 40, as above stated, and the coin is de osited thereon. The receiver is suspende from one end of a chain 42, which extends about a pulley 43, and has its other end secured to the latch 20.

The weight of the latch 20 plus the weight' the unseating of valve a: and allowing the gasoline in receptacle d to discharge through pipe fw, as liereinbefore described.-

Frame 21 is connected, by means of a link 2d, with a bracket on a coin ejector 25 slidable on a support 26 secured to the inner wall of casing 23. ln the described turning movement of shaft y to open valve az, frame 21, through link 24, pulls ejector to the right, Figs. 3 and 7. At this time,

the coin on the lowered receiver is on alevel with the ejector and is pushed thereby od' the receiver and drops down to the bottom of casing 23.

Y After receptacle d has been drained of its oil the return of shalt y to its normal position brin s the latch engaging recess in frame 21 mto alignment with latch 20, and the latch drops, restoring the receiver l0 to its normal position. e

lt is not necessary, however, for the customer to restore shaft y to its normal position. When the shaft y'is moved into position to o en valve an arm 51 on the shaft is move into the path ot movement of an extension on one of the pump connecting rods 1' (see Fig. 1). 'As soon as the pump is started, extension 50 pushes arm 51 and thereby returns shaft y to its normal latched position. lin case a customer seeks to de'- raud the machine by pumping gasoline into the receptacle d while the valve m is open, he will immediately (through arms 50 and 51) rock shaft y and close valve and thereby shut od' the outdow of gasoline from receptacle d.

llt will be understood that, in order to secure the delivery ont gasoline from the machine, the pump must be operated to suck gasoline into receptacle al before the coincontrolled, mechanism. is operated.V The pump therefore, is operable at any time, and i' it is not followed by the insertion of a coin and the pushing oit the coin slide, the gasoline would remain yin receptacle al an indelinite. time without special means to guard against it; that is, it would remain in receptacle al until the operation of the coin-controlled mechanism. rThis, however, is objectionable; and certain State laws prohibit the use of machines in which avolume of gasoline is visibly exposed for more than a certain reasonable period of time. To guard against this condition, l have provided a bleed pipe (see Fig. 8) the top of which communicates with the bottom of receptacle 0l. rlhe bottom of pipe 60 connects with an l.-shaped'channel 62 in a blocl 63.. rlhe end of channel 62 opens kupward into a recess in the block 61. Resting on the lower face of this recess, in position to close the mouth-of channel 62,v is a light valve 63 adapted to be raised by thestatic pressure of liquid in the receptacle al and pipe 60. The valve slides on a stem 64 se- Cured to an adjusting screw 65 threaded intiblock 61. This valve, however, will not lift so long as there is any substantial partial vacuum in receptacle d. To break the vacuum, I provide the pipe g (opposite the pipe 15) with a needle valve 66 (Fig. 1) which is adjusted to allow a very slow flow of air into receptacle d, which soon reduces the vacuum to the extent required to allow the static pressure in receptacle d and pipe 60 to lift valve 63 oil its seat and allow the gasoline to drain out into the interior of the chamber.

The capacity of valve 63 can be adjusted so that the gasoline in the transparent chamber will flow out as slowly as may be desired. Suppose, for example, it is adjusted -so that one-halll hour will be required to empty the glass chamber. Then assuming that ittakes four seconds to empty the chamber by means of the regular valve which is to be used when filling the'tank oi' an automobile, then the amount of gasoline which will be lost during thisprocess through valve 63 will be to the total measured quantity, say one gallon, as 1800 seconds is to four seconds. That is to say, only 1/450th of this amount will escape in this way during the drawing of the charge. While this is so small as to be almost unmeasurable, to be sure that the customer does not get short measure, the graduations on the gauge can be put in such a way as to `make ample allowance for this.

lnasmuch as the price of gasoline more or less luctuates, it is clear that some provision must be made to vary the storage capacity of receptacle d. This can be done very simply by a vertical adjustment of pipes it, thereby lifting or lowering the overow level in receptacle d'.

Extending from frame 21 on shaft y is a link 2'? (see Fig. 3) adapted to loperate an indicator 28 which is visible to the operator through opening 29 in the casing.

Having now described my invention, what l claim and desire. to protect by lietters ljatent is: l

1. A. dispensing device having mechanism :tor separating from bulk the material to be dispensed, tmechanism for permitting the discharge of the separated material, a coin controlled lock for the last mentioned mechanism arranged to release the discharge mechanism after the first mechanism has separated the material from the bulla for one sale, and means actuated by the separating mechanism for resetting the locking mechanism when the separating mechanism is again actuated.

lltl

2. A liquid dispensing device havin mechanism for measuring a predetermine quantity of liquid, mechanism for delivering the measured quantity, com controlled means for locking -the delivery mechamsm, and means actuated by the measurin mechanism for positively resettin the ocking means at the next operation t ereof.

3. A liquid. dispensing device havin mechanism for measuring a predetermine quantity of liquid, mechanism for delivering the measured quantity', coin controlled means for locking the delivery mechanism, and means actuated by the next operation of the measuring mechanism for actuating the delivery mechanism to prevent the flow of liquid from the device and for positively resetting the locking mechanism.

4. A liquid dispensing device having a measuring chamber, means for delivering liquid to saidchamber, a valve for controlling the discharge from the measuring chamber, coin controlled means for o ening said valve, and mechanism actuated y the delivery means for resetting the coin controlled means at the next operation of the delivery means. v

5. A liquid dispensing device having a measuring chamber, means for delivering liquid to said chamber, a-valve for control' ling the discharge `from the measuring chamber, coin controlled means for opening said valve, and mechanism actuated `by the delivery means at the next operation thereof for actuating v`the valve openin means and for resetting the coin controlle means.

6. A liquid dispensing device having a measuring'chamber, a pump for delivering liquid to said chamber, pump actuating mechanism, a valve for controlhng the discharge of liquid from the chamber, valve operating mechanism, a coin controlled locking mechanism for the valve operating mechanism, and means associated withv the pump actuatinv mechanism and the valve operating mechanisml for simultaneously actuatin the valve actuatin mechanism to permit t e closing of the va ve and the resetting the locking mechanism at the next operation of the pump.

7. A dispensing device having dispensing means and a coin controlled lock therefor, said lock comprising a locking bolt and a recess therefor, a coin support connected to the bolt actuated by the weight of the -coin for removing the bolt from the recess, and means actuated by the dispensing means for removino the coin from the support and for locking the support in its depressed position and arranged to he withdrawn to release the support when the dispensing mechanism is reset for the next operation.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Wilmington, Delaware, on this 29th day of January, 1925.

FRANCIS I. DU PONT. 

